Georgetown vets to honor community's military heroes

GEORGETOWN, S.C. (WCIV) -- The long strip of green grass separating two Georgetown veteran organizations will soon represent the red blood shed in our country's wars by Georgetown's men and women.

"We expect the wall to start near the sidewalk and go all along this grassy strip, and it would be about four, four and a half feet tall," American Legion Post 114 post adjutant Martin Alfonsi said.

The American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6444 have joined forces, literally, meeting in the middle for the monumental project.

A memorial wall made of marble will be built between both posts' buildings on Church Street in Georgetown. It will be about 70-90 feet long and list the names of every man and woman who died in battle in all of the country's wars.

"On top of the wall there will be 10 flagpoles." Alfonsi said. "They'll be spotlights, and they'll be shining upward. They will illuminate the flags."

Alfonsi says he hopes by being in such a visible area of town, people will be forced to remember.

"You have to make sure, for posterity, we never forget these men. These men gave a lot. They have a lot for our country," he said.

The American Legion member says he was lucky when he served in the Army.

"Fortunately I was discharged in 1965, I missed the Vietnam War by a few years," he said.

For those not as fortunate, Alfonsi and the other members hope the wall will keep the memory of their sacrifices alive and strong.